A Tale of Two Brothers
by Arsacid
Summary: In an unexpected turn of events, the Black family which had crumbled from the bottom of it's generations and the top of the world gets a new chance at survival as it's last two male heirs return from the dead. But will they manage to reconcile their differences and make the most of this new shot at life they've got to save their family from extinction? Rating may change in future.
1. Chapter 1: Beyond the Veil

**Greetings.**

 **Dear readers, this story is going to be revolve around the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black and the Sacred Twenty-Eight. It will be a story of pain, reconciliation and filial love between the last scions of the House of Black. This will tie in with another major fanfic that will center on Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson so it may take a while for me to update both. The setting of both stories is after the events of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child".**

 **If you take an interest in my story, please do read and review; I accept both praise and criticism.**

* * *

He roared with laughter as he dueled his cousin, blocking and dodging curses and firing several of his own back. He hadn't felt so challenged, so vigorous, so alive…so _good_ in such a long time. Despite his loathing of the woman, he couldn't deny that Bellatrix was tenacious, keeping him on his feet and dancing all through their bout. Hell, he barely even had time to register that they were the only pair battling at that moment.

He didn't see the trap that was being set.

She was on the offensive now and wasn't letting him up. Step by step, he was being forced back, barely managing to keep his defense up.

 _Fuck, she's strong_ , he thought and he blocked a curse aimed at his face. The worst part of it was that she was aiming at parts where he was hard-pressed to block in time or dodge, lest he be dealt a fatal blow or worse, be disabled and then dispatched by a signature Bellatrix coup de grâce curse.

Inevitably, she began to slow, her curses becoming more predictable and he blocked and dodged them with ease, even beginning to counter-attack. Her saw her face contort with rage and hatred and felt smug.

 _Not so such a tough bitch after all_ , he grinned to himself.

He knew she wouldn't give him the easy way out now and he was right; she was casting silent disarming spells against him. He knew fully well that she would finish him off with some horrid curse after rendering him wandless and for some reason, the thought made him feel reckless and fey. He jeered as he ducked when she shot a jet of red light at him, cackling like he was drunk on Firewhiskey laced with enchanted moonstones.

"Come on, you can do better than that, you bitch!"

He'd made a fatal mistake; he had mistaken Bellatrix's deliberate slowness to be exhaustion, had failed to see where he was standing and had just fractionally lowered his guard, giving enough opening for the red beam fired from his cousin's wand to hit him square in the chest. And even as he smiled, the gravity of the situation dawned on him as he began to topple backwards. He had only a split second to feel the fear and confusion take hold of him and to take in the sight of his horrified godson's face as he toppled beyond the Veil before a bright white light blinded him.

* * *

He was aware of lying face down on the floor, his head strangely blank, both like and unlike how it feels when one wakes up from a deep sleep. He raised himself off the ground and shook his head, before taking a look at himself. The first thing he realized that his tattoos were gone, leading him to marvel at the change and question the strangeness of it. He was dressed in the clothes he'd died in, but they seemed to be clean and brand new as opposed to their worn and shabby state as they had been when he died. That was when he realized that he was still holding a wand too, only that this wasn't the one he'd been using when he was dueling his cousin, but the one he'd bought from Ollivander's almost twenty-five years ago which had been taken from him on the night of his arrest. Then it hit him; he remembered the duel with Bellatrix in the Department of Mysteries and how it ended. A strange feeling settled on him as he realized the full implications of it; he was **dead**. He looked around apprehensively and saw that wherever he turned, there was a bright white light which was soft and soothing to his eyes and that he was standing on a white surface which he couldn't feel under him. However, something else caught his attention and he saw that somewhere far off, there was a darkness, just about the size of the joint of his thumb, pitch black and stark against the backdrop, dark and forbidding, something which stirred a hideous unease in him, yet entranced him, although he was wary of approaching it.

He marveled at the strangeness of it all, but had not the time to dwell on it as two figures materialized in the distance, causing him to jump and assume a fighting stance. It turned out to be quite unnecessary; it was his best friend James Potter and his wife Lily, as bright and hopeful as they were in life, beaming happily at him. He'd forgotten what they'd looked like; James looked like a grown up version of Harry with the same untidy hair, the almost identical face and posture and the same kind of spectacles through which he looked out with his brilliant hazel eyes. Lily stood with her arm through his, her flame-red hair undone and happiness radiating from her bright emerald green eyes, the exact same ones as her son's. Both of them were dressed in the same clothes they'd died in; in fact, it could have been that those fourteen years since that night in Godric's Hollow had never happened and that he was paying them a visit in their Fidelus protected safehouse. He almost choked in delight and grief and began to run over to them, but a sudden shriek broke out from the direction of the momentarily forgotten darkness, which swelled in size and began to spread. He turned around to face it and stared in horror as it expanded, slowly backing away from it. It soon covered the entirety of his vision when he faced the direction opposite to where Lily and James stood, his gaze transfixed on the pitch blackness which loomed, gloomy and oppressive as it was terrifying.

What happened next was something he wasn't prepared for. The darkness seemed to _twist_ and in the middle of it, he saw a small island with a strange stone basin in it's center and on the very edge of the island's shore sat a figure with his head buried in his hands. He stared in fear, his vision seeming to sharpen as he focused in on the figure until he saw him as clearly as he would see someone standing beside him. It was then that the figure raised it's head and he looked into the haunted, broken eyes of his brother, Regulus Arcturus Black.

He felt as if someone had hit him in the stomach as he stared at his brother's gaunt, sallow face. Those dead grey eyes looked at him expressionlessly before something stirred in them and he rasped out in whisper that carried through clearly enough to him.

"Sirius?"

His hands shook and he gawked on, his mouth agape before he managed to register what had happened.

"Regulus?" he called out, his voice quavering. The specter that was his brother jolted, as if he hadn't been expecting his answer.

"Sirius", he breathed out, before the older Black saw tears of pain and fear swim in his eyes as he called out again, "Sirius. Sirius, help me."

The darkness seemed to ripple softly, which then turned into a churning and then without warning, dozens of grey hands erupted out of it, reaching and clawing. He heard his brother scream and then begin to scramble away, but several hands had already grabbed hold of him and he began to thrash like a fish out of water in an attempt to get away.

"NO!" Sirius bellowed, shooting a curse into the fray, severing a hand that gripped on to Regulus's ankle and to be horrified as the sources of the hands began to rise out of the blackness; Inferi, cold, lifeless and bent on dragging his brother into the dark.

"JAMES! HELP HIM" he cried as he showered a volley of curses into the melee. There was no answer. He roared while still focused on the scene before him, "JAMES! I NEED YOUR HELP!" It was when he got no reply again that he wheeled around in rage and almost stopped aghast at the sight of both Lily and James standing and smiling at him. His shock turned to rage and he snarled, "HE'S DYING OUT THERE, YOU BASTARDS!" When even that failed to elicit a response, he bellowed "JAMES!" and threw a haymaker at his best friend's face. His fist sailed through as if James wasn't there at all. A sickening feeling seemed to settle in the pit of his stomach as he reached out for both of them, his fingers slipping through them as if they were ghosts, even as they stared at him in silence, their smiles and expressions never wavering.

"Merlin...James…Lils…" he breathed out, his bowels seeming to turn to ice as his hopes began to die before him. A deafening scream brought him back to reality.

"SIRIUS!" his brother scream, sobbing furiously; he was barely visible among the mass of the living dead now and was being dragged down into the darkness.

James and Lily were blind to his need and deaf to his pleas; there was nothing more he could do in that regard. But his brother was in torment, drowning in the darkness beyond the door of death itself. He forsook him once; he wouldn't do so again. He steeled himself and whirled around to charge headlong towards the darkness, firing spells at the Inferi, trying to cut open a path to Regulus.

"I'M COMING, REG!" he bellowed, pushing on forward, blasting aside Inferus after Inferus. He dimly felt the darkness beginning to swallow him but didn't pause to look back; all that had mattered to him was gone, anyway. He also began to realize to his horror that the closer he seemed to get to that island, the further it seemed to be out of his reach. The Inferi in the meantime were dragging his brother under; already; his legs were trashing underwater, which he realized what the darkness was, although, he was surprisingly _walking on it_.

He strained forward at full pelt, never ceasing to cast curse after curse, blasting open a path into the middle of the fray, even as Regulus was pulled in deeper and deeper. He was getting closer now; just a few more feet and he would reach him. It was then that he saw it; with a mighty yank, Regulus was dragged off and into the water and he screamed like never before, fighting for dear life as he splashed to stay afloat. Sirius roared, barely hearing himself over the pounding in his ears as he unleashed a spell that burst out in the form a flaming blast, knocking over the Inferi into the depths they'd emerged from as he bounded forward. He was just a few bounds away now; only Regulus's hand stretched out from the dark and Sirius could just see through the dark depths now, clearly seeing the dead faces in the water with unseeing eyes, dragging down a boy of eighteen whose face held nothing but fear, sorrow, despair and resignation, as if he'd accepted that he could not be saved anymore. Something tore at Sirius's heart at that; he recalled seeing that look on Regulus's face the night he'd left 12 Grimmauld Place for good. Regulus had known that it was the end, an undeniable and irreversible end to any filial bonds that had remained among them. It was the look that had haunted him for years after, especially on the night that he heard Regulus had gone missing and it continued to do so until all hope for his recovery was lost. No words were spoken, but the look had said it all; Sirius had killed their bond that night as he'd left home. In other words, he'd failed to deliver on the one hope Regulus had held on to all his life, a promise that Sirius had made before he'd left for Hogwarts for the first time, all those years ago.

* * *

 ** _"I don't know what House I'll be sorted into, Reg, though I doubt it'll be Slytherin" he'd said, adding the last bit conspiratorially. "But I want you to know that no matter what, we'll always be brothers."_**

 _ **Regulus stared at the ceiling in silence as they sat in Sirius's room, stretched out on his bed.**_

 _ **"You promise? No matter what?"**_

 _ **Sirius had smiled and squeezed his hand, "No matter what, baby brother."**_

* * *

 _You failed him then and you'll fail him again._

" **NOT AGAIN!** " he roared and he jumped, diving toward the spot where his brother's hand stretched out and grasped it in mid-leap firmly, before he plummeted into the icy depths, just in time to see the Inferi dissolve and fade away into the blackness and a look of surprise dawn on Regulus's face before everything went pitch black.


	2. Chapter 2: Resurrected

**Greetings, everyone. My apologies for posting so late; I've been very busy of late and a tragedy has occurred in my family. My uncle has passed on and it hit us all very hard. I've decided to dedicate this story to him and his brothers, one of them being my dad, as well as making this a kind of tribute to the relationship between me and my own kid brother.**

 **This chapter is kind of short but I promise that the action has only just begun and that soon, you will be seeing some familiar and many fresher faces as the story progresses.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The moment he came to his senses, he knew something was wrong. The air seemed to be more fluid and it seemed to lap all over him. Immediately, his instincts kicked in and he realized several things at once; that he was underwater, his body felt far more vigorous and strong, that he was holding on to his wand with his left hand and to somebody else's hand with his right and that somebody was Regulus, who was still and lifeless. He panicked and cast a spell that propelled them upwards rapidly and they both surfaced with a mighty splash, gasping for air to soothe burning lungs. That was to say, only Sirius was the one struggling to breathe; Regulus was unresponsive and his skin had a bluish tinge to him. Fear clawed at him with sharp talons as Sirius dragged them both to shore and onto the stone island with the basin; he noticed that they were in some sort of a cave with a subterranean lake. He flipped Regulus on his back and then cast a spell, forcing the water out of his lungs, little by little. He then looked put his fingers to his throat, checking for a pulse. For several seconds there was nothing and Sirius's world seemed to come crashing down in flames; had his hope died before it even got a chance to live?

And then he felt it. Weak, but there; however, only just.

His heart pounding, he cast a warming charm and then looked through Regulus's pockets; he was dressed in his Death Eater robes, he noticed, but cast the though aside. He found on him a wand and a small vial of some deep red liquid. For the first time in his life, he wished Snape were around to help, because while he was sure it was a potion meant to revive unresponsive patients, he feared that on the off-chance that he was wrong, it would have the opposite effect. He took up his brother's wand and cast a Stasis Charm on him while he deliberated. He couldn't do this alone; he needed help, but he couldn't bank on his own inadequate knowledge. Maybe he could Disapparate from this place, given that he was still in possession of his wand; St. Mungo's would be the best place to deal with an emergency of this sort. He grabbed his brother's hand and tried to turn on the spot, on that it seemed he'd run into an iron wall. Despairing, he tried again, only to achieve the same result. He broke out into cold sweat; time was running out for them. Then it struck him; house-elves could bypass most Anti-Apparation wards.

"KREACHER!" he bellowed.

A few seconds passed before there was a crack and there stood before him Kreacher, older than ever yet cleaner than before and with a look of disbelief quickly turning into one of shock.

"Kreacher, quick; Regulus is still alive. Help him!" he hollered in a voice that sounded much... _younger_. That thought flitted out of his mind as his command seemed to startle the elf out of his stupor and he stumbled forward in haste, dropping to his knees beside the prone body. Without waiting for a command, he snapped his fingers and summoned a set of five vials full of different potions. He snatched up one of the vials and poured it's contents into Regulus's mouth, before repeating the process with another, then pressing the pouch of salts against his nose. Sirius had meanwhile cast spells to force air into Regulus's lungs and then to run a diagnostic check for anything suspicious; it seemed that it had only been due to the submergence that Regulus had lost consciousness, because all his other functions seemed to be in order.

"Did Master remove the water in his lungs?" he started as Kreacher spoke.

"Yeah, first thing I did. He's under a Stasis Charm and I've put a warming charm on him too."

The house elf replied, "The young Master needs a Resuscitation potion; quick give it to Kreacher!" He was pointing at the vial in his hands. He handed it over and watched it's contents disappear into Regulus's mouth as Kreacher poured it down his throat.

 _Come on, little brother; come back for me._

For a few agonizing seconds, nothing happened. Then, the colour seemed to flood across Regulus's ashen face and the limbs which had been unnaturally stiff relaxed. He began to breathe visibly and when Sirius reached out to touch him, he felt that his body felt healthily warm. The tension which had built at the pit of his stomach seemed to drain out of him all at once. That quickly changed when Regulus's eyelids began to flutter; he was suddenly racked with a slew of emotions, primarily hesitation to face the brother who had been lost to him for all these years. He couldn't bring himself to look Regulus in the eye and face the ghosts of his mistakes from all those years ago, at least not just yet. He wasn't sure what to expect; he didn't know whether Regulus would be in any sane state or even if he was, there was no predicting what would happen. No, he most certainly couldn't face him just yet; there may not be a way to avoid it indefinitely, but he would wait for the right moment before facing Regulus again.

"Kreacher" he said, making the house elf start; he was staring at the stirring figure of Regulus with tearful eyes and a hopeful expression. "He can't know about me just yet; I'm going to disguise myself and you're going to keep this a secret. Is that understood?" he commanded, throwing all his authority into the words.

He saw several emotions flash on Kreacher's face, primarily disdain, anger and dismay among more enigmatic ones, some of which he half-guessed and that made him feel uneasy before the elf nodded and Sirius assumed his Animagus form of a big dog with shaggy black fur. He bounded over to Regulus in his animal form and began to softly lick at his face, slowly at first, then faster and more deliberately, while Kreacher called out to the young man who was slowly slipping back into consciousness…

* * *

He felt something wet being dragged over his face and it was clearly annoying; couldn't he just be left alone for a while in the dark?

The dark…what dark? Also, why was he sopping wet?

He suddenly felt afraid of both the water and the dark, though he couldn't remember why. He racked his brains and then recalled because of the hands that came out of the water…cold, gray, lifeless hands…dead hands. Then he found the word for the source of those hands: Inferi. That was when it all came back to him and he realized where he was.

His eyes shot open and he sat up to register a black blur jumping back and standing tense on all fours and a bent old creature barely three feet high with long bat like ears and old rheumy eyes staring at him as if he were a ghost.

 _Ghost…_ he quickly looked at himself; he was still solid.

He looked back up and realized what he was looking at; it was Kreacher who seemed to have had aged a hundred years since he last saw him and a large dog with inky black fur, staring at him with strangely gray eyes. He got up and in one fluid motion, threw himself on the house elf.

"KREACHER!" he yelled, grabbing him by the shoulders. All the memories of what had happened came back to him; drinking the poison from the basin, swapping the locket, ordering a tearful Kreacher to leave and destroy the locket, to never breathe a word of what had taken place in the cave…"Kreacher, what happened? Did you pull me out?" he demanded.

The house elf tearfully shook his head and croaked out, "You were dead, master. Dead for 43 years" bursting into tears and clinging to him in a tight embrace.

Regulus's head seemed to whirl as the words sank in. _Dead for 43 years._ No, it couldn't be. He disengaged Kreacher's arms and said desperately, "Kreacher, please; tell me what happened truthfully. Did you follow my instructions? Also, where's the locket from the basin?"

Kreacher struggled to hold back his sobs and when he regained some of his composure, he spoke "Master had tried to drink from the lake and the dead hands came out and pulled him down" he shuddered and nearly started weeping again, continuing with some difficulty. "Kreacher went home with the locket and tried to destroy it, sir; nothing worked. He kept at it for years but it did no good. Not until Harry Potter came and destroyed it; yes, he destroyed the locket and many other nasty things like it. Horcruxes, they called it, all containing pieces of the Dark Lord's soul. When they were all destroyed, the Dark Lord was vanquished."

If he hadn't heard it from Kreacher itself, he would not have believed it. He had known that the Dark Lord had made Horcruxes, but he hadn't the faintest idea what they were and clearly, this Harry Potter had not only located but destroyed them too and had taken down the darkest wizard to rise in Britain ever.

"Kreacher, I'll need you to tell me everything that happened since…I died. But before that, how did that dog get here?" he questioned, pointing at the large, shaggy creature which was watching with a cocked head and those disturbingly gray eyes. Eyes that reminded him of…"Kreacher, what happened to Sirius?"

The elf looked at his feet and remained silent, almost motionless but for the trembling of his hands, almost unnoticeable.

"Dead. Miss Bella killed Master Sirius."

His world seemed to come crashing down. His brother, so full of life, so boisterous and noisy… _dead_ ; killed by their own cousin. _Our House has fallen._

"And everyone else? Mother, Cissa and Bella?" he asked, numb inside. Kreacher looked at him sorrowfully and said "Many tragedies have occurred in these 43 years, sir. Miss Cissa alone remains, married to Lucius Malfoy and has a son Draco who is grown up with a child of his own."

Indeed, time and tide waited for no one. And after all, 43 years had passed. 43 years since the last legitimate heir of the House of Black perished and the family all but died in the male line, save for his disowned brother.

He sighed, swallowing the growing lump in his throat. "Tell me everything but take us away from this blasted cave first."

"If I may, sir, the dog is the reason Kreacher found Master. Kreacher felt something strange and Apparated here and saw this dog barking at the Cave. Kreacher gave blood to enter and the dog followed, even on the boat and to the island. In fact, the dog helped Kreacher bring Master out of the water" he said, casting an odd look that seemed to mask some deeper emotion at the animal which was sticking it's tongue out and panting. Regulus smiled sadly and softly petted it on the head. It barked appreciatively and came closer to lick and his hands and face, wagging it's tail happily.

"Fine, let us leave this place, Kreacher" he reached out with one hand towards the elf , with the other around the dog's neck. Kreacher took hold of his hand and Regulus took one look at the Cave that had been his tomb for 43 years, taking in the island with the stone basin and the lake before Kreacher Disapparated leaving it all behind forever, for none of them were destined to come back to that place again.

* * *

 **So I've decided to leave it till here for now, but soon, Regulus will find that he hasn't returned to a world where he just lacks answers and is out of tune with, but that is in fact pretty much as dangerous as it used to be during the First Wizarding War.**

 **Sirius is in disguise but will not be just a companion familiar. In due time, the reasons behind his decision will be made clear and it has much to do with all the unspoken things from the war and even before. Don't forget, this is the House of Black we're dealing with here; emotions and familial love is complicated among them. Also there is a BIG surprise awaiting you; pay close attention to the first two lines of the chapter and where he commands Kreacher ;-)**

 **So much for now; stay tuned!**


	3. Chapter 3: A Past Not Lived

**Sorry for the late update; been really busy!**

 **This chapter is going to be kind of long; I had intended for something else to happen in it too but as it got longer and longer, I had to decide to split it in two.**

 **I know, it's going slow for now but trust me, it's going to get exciting soon!**

 **For now, enjoy!**

* * *

They had Apparated on the shore of a small lake surrounded by moss-covered cliffs on all sides, not terribly high but steep enough to deter most from attempting scale it. The lake itself was blue as the sky above and while the tree cover was sparse, the place itself seemed isolated from outside, with a somewhat narrow yet useable path leading upwards. Not far off, Regulus could hear the unmistakable roar of the ocean waves crashing powerfully on cliffs, taking him many years back in time when he was on holiday with his family in their summer house in France. He brushed the nostalgia aside; there were more pressing matters at hand.

"What is this place, Kreacher?" he questioned, watching as the dog trotted ahead, sniffing eagerly at the fresh salty air.

"Master Harry and his family were camping here three summers ago, sir. There's a natural cave that leads deep into the side of the cliff" he said, pointing and began to drag him along by the hand, with dog following at his heels, sniffing curiously.

The cave's entrance was to the side of the cliff where a face of it jutted out, giving it the appearance of being solid rock if viewed from up front. Although dimly lit by the limited amount of sunlight pouring in, he found by wandlight that it was quite dry, roomy and sheltered, in addition to being warm enough to spend the night in. The only issue was that there was no way to seal the entrance to prevent the elements from filtering in through the open cave entrance and that lighting a fire would cause him to choke and suffocate, but he knew the very spells that would alleviate any difficulty in that regard. However, there were a few things he needed which spells alone were not substitutes for.

"Kreacher, we're going to need mattresses and something to eat. Can you bring something for us?" he asked.

"Of course, Master; as Master commands" he bowed and vanished with a crack, only to reappear after a few minutes with a mattress and a bag full of tins and a bottle.

"Food and drink, sir; enough for both Master and the dog, just as Master had requested. Although Kreacher must apologize; the mattress may not be as comfortable because it's an old one" he apologetically added. "Master Harry may find out if Kreacher brought one of the newer ones."

Regulus smiled, "No, it's alright, Kreacher. I don't need anyone to find out I'm back…at least not _yet_. But I'm ravenous; why don't we all eat as you tell me what's happened all these years I've been… _gone_?"

There was a heavy pause after which the elf nodded and Regulus reached for three tins, two full of sardines of which one he handed to Kreacher and one of potted meat which he opened and set before the dog which barked happily before falling on it. As they began to eat, Kreacher began to tell his story, all 43 years without him. He spoke of his mother discovering a skull appear where he was supposed to be on the family tapestry and her descent into madness, the crushing effect it had on Narcissa and Bellatrix's utmost confusion and dejection. The Black matriarch was never the same again, having already lost her husband not months earlier and for her, this signaled the end of the Black legacy. He went on to speak of James Potter and his marriage to Lily Evans, with Sirius being the best man. He spoke of a prophecy about a boy to end the Dark Lord's reign, the news delivered to him by Snape and his choosing the Potters' young son Harry, his Halloween night attack on the family and the deaths of James and Lily, only to have the Killing Curse he cast on their infant son to back-fire on him and result in the destruction of his physical form and the unknown formation of what he would later find out to be the final Horcrux of the seven he created. He learnt of the aftermath and grieved when told of his fellow Death Eaters, many among them former batch mates in Hogwarts being arrested, tried and put into Azkaban, the deaths of Evan Rosier and Wilkes while evading capture and Sirius's implication in the betrayal of the Fidelus Charm the Potters were protected by and his imprisonment in Azkaban. It did nothing to console him learning about his mother's death just four years after the war's end, her last days being spent in grief and desolation.

Then, there was nothing for six years until Harry Potter arrived at Hogwarts, foiling the attempt of the Dark Lord to return to power by using the Philosopher's Stone through a teacher he had possessed as a vessel, going on to destroy his diary which turned out to be yet another Horcrux in his second year and the escape of Sirius from Azkaban, the first ever in history, to avenge himself on Pettigrew the traitor who had framed him, only for it to fail and Pettigrew went on to join the Dark Lord. He could only gape in horror as he listened to Kreacher's account of the deception practiced by the Crouch family to rescue their convicted and imprisoned son and sending the matriarch in his place, keeping young Barty Imperiused and unable to act of his own volition in freedom. However, it backfired and the junior Crouch shook it off to cause a commotion at the 1994 Quidditch World Cup and nearly escaping and then being released from the Imperius Curse after taken back home by the Dark Lord and Pettigrew and the senior Crouch himself was put under the Imperius, with Barty going on the take the place of the Auror Alastor Moody and join Hogwarts as a teacher to sabotage the Triwizard Tournament in order to lead Potter to the Dark Lord which he carried out successfully, leading to his master's return at the cost of his discovery and receiving the Dementor's Kiss.

The Ministry apparently denied it for a whole year until a battle at the Ministry itself when the Dark Lord tried to steal the prophecy which had bound Potter's fate to him, exposing his return to dozens of witches and wizards. His heart clenched as tightly as his fists when he learned that it was there that Sirius had perished by Bellatrix's hand there while going to his godson's rescue who himself had been lured there by a vision of Sirius being tortured planted in his head. The Second Wizarding War began and for the following year, Potter and Dumbeldore had been hunting for Horcruxes and managed where the locket had been hidden, only to find the duplicate and returning to Hogwarts to find Death Eaters waiting, sneaked in by Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius and his cousin Narcissa on the orders of the Dark Lord himself. Dumbeldore had been killed by Snape and fled, following which the Ministry was infiltrated and the attempt to transport Potter in the following months going awry and Moody being killed in a duel with the Dark Lord. The Ministry fell with the murder of the Minister and for months, Potter eluded capture while hunting for Horcruxes with two companions while Hogwarts was under Snape where an underground resistance formed, culminating in rebellion and Snape's abandonment when Potter returned while on his hunt. The Battle of Hogwarts took place and it turned out that Snape was a double-agent all along, passing to Potter the knowledge that he was a Horcrux himself and that the way ahead was to sacrifice himself. The boy apparently did so and miraculously manage to survive his second Killing Curse and vanquish the Dark Lord for good who lost the last of his Horcruxes that day and a sort of peace came over the Wizarding World again, with no shadow to darken it until his illegitimately spawned daughter(with Bellatrix, no less, something which shocked him to the core) tried to manipulate Potter's son Albus into helping her revive her father many years later, almost succeeding but was foiled at the last moment by Potter and his friends, along with Draco, whose son was friends with the young Albus, all of this happening just months before.

He barely noticed that the cave had begun to grow darker when Kreacher finished his tale. He could barely comprehend the scale of the events of the last 43 years and the magnitude of their effect on the world he'd known, one he yearned to see again, yet it was a world changed for everyone he knew was either dead or dying; family, friends, acquaintances and associates all. He held his head in his hands silently, unable to articulate the turmoil he felt within him; what was his place in the world now? He huffed out a long breath and looked at Kreacher who was staring at him with a pained and concerned expression.

"So Grimmauld Place is occupied by Potter now? What happened to the rest of the Black properties?" he inquired, his voice hollow and defeated to his own ears.

Kreacher played with the apron he was clad in for a moment before answering, "Master Sirius left the house, the money in the family vault and Kreacher to Master Harry, sir. As for the rest of the Black Family properties in abroad, as far as Kreacher knows, they have been taken over by the Ministries there because Master Harry received letters from them over the years regarding them. I'm sorry, sir but there is no home that you can return to just yet" he regretfully added.

Regulus nodded, his heart heavy "No, it's alright; it's good to have a place to lie low for a while until I find out how I… _came back_ after all the years. But why bring me here instead of taking me to some quieter part of the Wizarding World?"

Kreacher hesitated, then replied "Well sir, the Wizarding World has…been less peaceful as of late. Kreacher told you about Miss Granger, didn't he? Well, under her, many of the old laws that protected Pure-Blood society and customs were abolished and there have been a series of Ministry-related incidents, recently, some violent. Old sympathizers and followers of the Dark Lord are stirring in the shadows again and attacks on Muggles, Muggle-borns, Half-Bloods and traitors have begun taking place again, more so when they found out about the Dark Lord's daughter. It is not safe, sir, much less for a former Death Eater."

Regulus gaped, unable to digest what he'd learned "The Dark Lord's followers are still at large? Why weren't they apprehended?"

"Many of the Death Eaters were, sir" Kreacher answered. "But many did not actively join but rather supported in other ways during the Second War. The Ministry could not determine guilt and they went free and now that the Ministry has begun to implement laws that could destroy Pure-Blood society, they are rallying to arms. Kreacher fears they may be strong enough to begin a Third War soon."

Regulus felt the same dismay as he'd felt when Kreacher had returned to him half-dead so many years ago after the Dark Lord had borrowed him for his deadly errand. If the old order was still numerous and active enough to muster it's strength in secret enough to for it's existence to be suspected and feared, it was indeed quite serious.

"Do you know anyone who could be part of this secret Dark resistance?"

"Not personally, sir, but many of the Death Eaters' children had their parents imprisoned; also, many supporters of the Dark Lord disappeared after he fell at Hogwarts" the elf answered.

"I suppose it's best to keep away for a while then", he murmured distractedly, thinking about each and every one of his former Death Eater peers.

There was silence for a while until Kreacher spoke, "Kreacher is overwhelmed to have you back, sir. He has grieved alone for years, forced to watch the Mistress die without learning what happened to her remaining son and unable to tell Master Sirius too. Kreacher is happy that the House of Black has returned."

Indeed, the bittersweet smile that coloured the elf's aged face said it all; Regulus felt his heart melt with love and pain. He reached out and grasped Kreacher's hand softly and spoke, "I'm happy to find you here too, Kreacher. You're the best friend a wizard could ask for. But as for the House of Black, it has shattered into so many pieces; everything that was ours is now lost. I don't know if I'm strong enough to restore it; how can I ever rebuild it alone?"

"You will never be alone, sir" Kreacher choked out, tears spilling down his face. "You have me…and those who you believe have passed are always with us. One way or the other…"

Regulus failed to notice the meaningful glance the elf threw the dog when he said this, the dog itself having been sitting stock still all this time and it's soft whine went unheard by Regulus too. He dropped Kreacher's hand and looking him in the eye, he asked, "Kreacher, how did this entire business of Sirius's death come about? Did he just rush in at the first hint that Potter was headed to the Ministry? Surely Potter must have tried to contact him first?"

Kreacher seemed to steel himself and spoke, "Master Harry had tried to contact Master Sirius but was apprehended while doing so. He managed to communicate to Severus Snape that Master Sirius had been captured and tortured in the Ministry but while Snape left to convey the message, Master Harry broke free and headed to the Ministry with his friends and the Order decided to reach there as well, Master Sirius among them."

Regulus sighed, "So my hot-headed brother charged in like a bull when he heard his godson was headed into the lion's mouth to rescue him? That was so like Sirius, so protective of the ones he loved…but his love was always reserved for those who were furthest in blood, it seems" he added, his throat constricting and looked down at his feet as he felt his eyes sting.

"Kreacher feels guilty that Master Sirius died, sir; he failed to serve the House of Black twice by not being able to destroy the locket and that Master Sirius died while Kreacher still served him" the elf began to sob, his thin chest heaving before he burst out keening.

Regulus took him by the shoulders and shook him gently "It wasn't any of your fault, Kreacher. Sirius did what he had to and that is your cross to bear. As for the locket, I'm not angry at all; Horcruxes are not easily destroyed and besides, Potter managed to do it in the end so no harm came of it. Kreacher, _you are not to blame_."

The elf stopped wailing and croaked out, "Master is too kind to Kreacher. He only wishes that it had gone differently for the House of Black, sir; it has never been the same since Master Sirius left so many years ago…"

Memories of that day came flooding back unbidden; the arguments, the cutlery thrown, Sirius storming to his room, only to descend with a packed bag, him pleading with his brother to stay, their own argument and his tearful pleas which he was only able to utter once Sirius had gone for good.

"I wish it had turned out differently too…"

He sat silently in the darkness for a while, unmindful of everything until he gathered his wits and cast a werelight from his wand, illuminating the cave with a soft, golden glow and then whistled softly for the dog, which jumped out of it's stupor and bounded happily towards him with a bark, tongue lolling out and wagging it's tail like a metronome. He cuddled it as it happily licked him all over, causing him to break into a smile unbidden, cheering his empty and pained heart which had been so numbed.

"Well Kreacher, I could maintain this spell for a few hours but we're going move tomorrow before nightfall. I'm going to need some Muggle money and clothing so that I can buy food and supplies, so I'd be glad if you could arrange them by tomorrow" he said, stroking the dog's head softly as it licked his other hand.

"Of course, sir. There should be enough food for both Master and the dog tonight and if need be, Kreacher will bring more whenever Master asks" the elf said. "Just one thing, sir; Kreacher's presence may be missed during the day so if Master were to call him after midnight only…"

"Why yes, of course; I'll keep that in mind. Well, off with you now; we don't want Potter to get suspicious now, do we? Besides, won't they have noticed your absence today?" he asked.

"Master Harry was the Mistress's family today sir; he will return even later in the night."

"Oh, good then" Regulus smiled. He pulled Kreacher into a hug, murmuring softly "Thank you so much, Kreacher. Thank you for always being there."

The tears of joy in the elf's eyes left nothing to be said.

"Good night, sir" he whispered, before Disapparating with a crack, leaving him alone in the cave with the dog.

He sat staring at his hands, lost in his thoughts until a nudge from the dog roused him. He stroked it's back and asked, "I suppose you're hungry, aren't you, boy?"

It barked in affirmative and Regulus popped open another tin of potted meat and watched in silence as it devoured it greedily, his own appetite gone after the day's events. He spread out the mattress and when the dog had it's fill, he whistled to it and hugged it when it came close, cast some Atmospheric charms to filter out any effects of the weather from filtering in through the open entrance, extinguished the werelight and lay down with his arms around the dog.

"Good night, boy" he said softly, squeezing it gently.

The dog gave him answering lick and they both fell asleep in the dark, roomy cave, curled up to one another.

* * *

 **Poor Regulus believes he's all alone in the world *sound of my heart shattering***

 **Bitter are the wars between brothers indeed...**

 **Don't worry, young Regulus; all is not lost!**

 **Stay tuned, dear readers!**


	4. Chapter 4: Truth and Healing

**Well, hello there!**

 **I thought that since I'd been so lax in updating, I would give you yet another chapter double quick!**

 **It's going to be all Sirius in this, since I've seen some of you clamouring in the reviews :-)**

 **Bear in mind, there is a lot to cover and the chapters seem to get longer as I write, so there story will proceed slow at first but I promise you, I will do my best not to disappoint; this is not going to be a melodramatic soap opera but a full-fledged of redemption and healing!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

It was during the darkest part of the night when all was silent and even Nature seemed to be holding her breath that the dog opened it's eyes, gently stirred and slipped out of the arms of the sleeping Regulus to trot out of the cave before transforming into his true form. Sirius shook himself over in a manner that was curious for his human form although one that would befit him as a dog and then realized what he was doing. Snorting, he pulled out his wand and cast a _Muffliato_ at the cave's entrance before looking up at the sky. It was dark and cloudy with not a star in sight, though the waxing gibbous moon occasionally peeked out from behind it's dark curtain. He strode over to flat rock by the side of the cliff that faced the direction away from the cave's entrance and sat down on it, stretching his legs before he called out softly, "Kreacher, I want you here. _NOW_."

There was a loud crack and the house elf appeared, bowing low.

"Master summoned; what does he require?"

Sirius waved his wand, _Accioing_ a rock thatlay fifty paces away, identical to the one he was sitting on and set it in front of him.

"Sit" he commanded, gesturing at the rock.

Dobby sat and looked at him silently, doing his best to keep a neutral face. His eyes held an enigmatic emotion, though, one that a Muggle who'd known about the magical world would wear on seeing a centaur and it was enough to annoy Sirius.

"What are you goggling at?" he demanded. "Yeah, it's me; alive and kicking. I think you'd figured it out after you saw your favourite Master" he jerked his head in the direction of the cave.

"Forgive me, sir" Kreacher mumbled. "It's just that Master came back so different."

Sirius stared, "What'd you mean _different_? Wait, hang on; I _do_ feel different. I feel vigorous, healthy, am faster than I was, feel much stronger and the magic seems to be bubbling in me like champagne. What in Merlin's name has coming back to life done to me?"

Kreacher stared, open-mouthed, "Master has not had a look at himself yet?"

Sirius stomped, frustrated, "Kreacher, you'd better give me a straight answer _instead of asking more bloody questions_!" the last bit was snarled out.

"Look in the lake, sir" Kreacher urged, seemingly unmindful of his rage. "Look at your reflection!"

Sirius turned on his heel and stomped towards the lake and reaching it's edge, he peered into it, casting his wandlight. The face staring back contorted in shock as Sirius let out a yelp of amazement, for staring back was indeed his own face, just the one that would have belonged to a nineteen year old version of him. He looked on, slacked jawed as he took in his appearance; the shorter hair he sported in his youth, the aristocratic face long before Azkaban had rendered it gaunt and sunken, the bright gray eyes shining with a light that had been extinguished years ago on that fateful Halloween night and the smooth, unblemished skin, full of colour and the vigour of life, so unlike the pale and drained complexion he had sported from his escape to his last days. He reached out and touched his face; it was real without doubt.

He stood up and walked back as if in a daze, slumping on his seat and turning to Kreacher, unable to keep the wonder out of his voice "I'm… _young_. Young and alive."

Kreacher's face softened "Kreacher hopes Master is happy; it was a surprise, sir. To see the Masters alive and both young…it was beyond anything Kreacher could ever expect."

"Yes, indeed" Sirius muttured, barely audible, still lost in contemplation of the magnitude of the revelation. "This is some really powerful magic; Harry may have survived the Killing Curse due to his mother's sacrifice, but _what happened to us_?" He stood up, unable to contain himself and walked a few paces, looking at the sky. Several things were coursing through his head; he and his brother had come back to life, he was de-aged, years had passed since he died, Kreacher's story…

A thought raced through his mind like a current and he swung around on Kreacher, "You were telling Regulus that the Wizarding World was unsafe again. He was about to question you further before you side-tracked him from it; what is going on out there, Kreacher? And I want to hear the full truth" he said authoritatively, pinning the elf with the famed Black stare, unconsciously mirroring his long dead father.

Kreacher quailed, "I'll tell you everything, sir! Kreacher did not wish to distress Master Regulus anymore; he wished the young Master had never asked!"

"Well then, out with it" Sirius demanded, settling down again. "I want all the details, so leave nothing out."

"Well sir, Kreacher has already told you about the New Minister for Magic, Hermoine Granger. She introduced many laws that were aimed at reforming what she deemed to be biased practices against Muggle-borns, Muggles, Half-Bloods, Squibs and magical creatures, especially house-elves. The thing is, it brought about a huge change in the once deeply conservative Wizarding World, sir. The most noticeable thing is that there are much fewer Pure-Bloods since the Second Wizarding War because the Daily Prophet ran lots of pieces on Blood Purism, effectively shaming Pure-Bloods and bullying them into giving up what were considered to be privileges. For instance, if a Pure-Blood family gains a Half-Blood member, the patriarchs are legally required to bequeath a fixed sum to them in their will, irrespective of whether they consider them family or not, else the Ministry will step in and evaluate themselves how much is to be given, all of which will be deducted from the family treasury. It even caused outraged among Pure-Bloods who were opposed to the Dark Lord, sir. Of course, there were riots by several of the Darker wizards who opposed them, many of who were well off when the Ministry fell all those years ago."  
"To add to that, there are anti-hate laws now; anyone who speaks what may be regarded to be in favour of Blood-Purism and the Dark Arts may be pulled up by Magical Law Enforcement and slapped with hefty fines. In certain cases, the Auror office got involved and a full criminal trial was held; it was the son of a Warlock on the Wizengamot who was the accused and he got sentenced to Azkaban for it!"

Sirius felt strangely and hideously uneasy at this; even if he disapproved of Blood Purism, what Kreacher was describing was totalitarianism not unlike the sort which the Ministry had exercised in the wake of Voldemort's return.

"How have those opposed to these revisions responded?" he asked anxiously.

"There has been a huge uproar in the Ministry, sir", Kreacher said. "Many of the veteran employees took it very badly and it doesn't help that the economy's been in a slump too. Minister Granger is proving to be a headstrong and rigid woman and she's alienated many of her professional associates. But it's the Dark Wizards which have been more belligerent in their opposition, sir. Already, three mass-murders have taken place; one of a Muggle family, one of a Muggle-born wizard, his Pure-Blood wife and three children and that of a young Half-Blood witch and her four siblings. She was still attending school and was an orphaned and the children were taken care of by an aunt. They were crucified to the walls and someone burned… _His Mark_ on the walls" he croaked in terror.

Sirius felt the hairs on his neck stand up with horror "They cast the Dark Mark on the walls?!"

Kreacher nodded, "That's not all, sir. Azkaban has long since gotten rid of Dementors and they were all contained for a long time, only now there have been sightings and unconfirmed reports of an attack. There have been some goblin related unrests and the woods are full of werewolves too, although a werewolf attack has not yet happened, sir, not as far as Kreacher knows. The Ministry is divided nowadays; a lot of wizards want the Minister to repeal the new laws and resign while many of the younger ones support her. Master Harry himself is not too pleased with the way things are going, though he is Hermoine Granger's friend. He believes that she is delving into things that are best left untouched and frankly, he is right, sir, seeing as it's drawn out former supporters of the Dark Lord."

Sirius rubbed his fingers against his temples, his head whirling. It seemed as if everything was upside down now; he had died fighting for who he believed were the champions of justice, only now _they_ were the ones astray, with the remnants of the of the old foe still at large and active.

"You said Rodolphus Lestrange had escaped from prison. Is he still at large?" he asked.

"Yes, sir" Kreacher answered. "He is the only one, though; most of the old Death Eaters are in Azkaban and some have died."

He nodded, "I'll keep that in mind. I'll be calling on you to give more news later, anyway. Enough of this for now. There's this one other thing; you'd said Harry was apprehended while trying to contact me the day I died. If I remember correctly, Snape had informed us that Harry was convinced I was being held by Voldemort-" he paused to take in the elf quiver at the name he still dreaded. "He saw me being tortured for information. Now Harry is no fool; he would not have gone to the Ministry unless he received some concrete proof that I was in danger. This means he spoke to someone and there were only two people in the house that day, one of them being me and I was upstairs, tending to Buckbeak's mysterious injury" he eyed Kreacher darkly. "The only other soul in the house was _you_."

Kreacher began tremble, eyes wide with fear and begin to tear up. Sirius spoke in a low tone, "You told Harry I had gone to the Ministry, didn't you?"

In one fluid motion, the elf sunk to his knees and began bashing his head on the ground, bawling like a baby. Sirius wrenched him upright and picked him up by the straps of his apron, holding his frail form up in the air as he would a doll.

"Now, enough of that Kreacher", he warned. "Tell me why you did it and who put you up to it. And tell me the truth; all of it."

It took a while to get Kreacher to calm down before he managed to relate between sobs how he had left after Christmas by maliciously interpreting Sirius's rage-driven and poorly worded demand to "get out" and had gone to the Malfoys and passed information to them which Voldemort used to lure Harry to the Ministry, only that Sirius himself was to be kept out but that ended in failure and his death. He set Kreacher down after his tale was over and walked to the lake where he stood in silence, staring out into the darkness. Kreacher crawled to him and clung to his leg with frail fingers, still sobbing.

"Forgive me, sir; Kreacher has done much wrong to Master…Oh, how it would break Mistress's heart…" he wailed, Sirius barely registering anything. The reference to his mother snapped him out of his reverie, however and he let out a bark of laughter.

"THAT old hag would have rejoiced her blood traitor died. I've always hated her since childhood. It's funny, though; I can't remember anything since before I was seven. I've always disliked Mother and Father from that age, though there seems to have been no real reason why. It's Regulus I cared for alone, but somehow, there was always this side of him that used to worry me, a very secretive, silent and despairing one. _What are you goggling at THIS time?_ " he demanded.

Kreacher shook himself, "Nothing, sir. He just finds it strange Master doesn't recall the past at all."

This time, however, Sirius totally failed to notice the tell-tale signs of Kreacher's secrecy, failing to extract the very secret of his past that would change it all in the months to come, so engrossed in his own thoughts and emotions he was. He paced to his seat restlessly and then back to the lake, his mind firing off thoughts like a machine gun.

"How and _why_ were the two of us brought back to life and by _whom_? Nothing makes sense and the world's still crazy and dangerous…I can't face Regulus yet; MERLIN-DAMN-IT!" he picked up a rock and flung it at the calm water with all his might, causing a mighty splash and sinking to his knees. " _Why_?"

He felt the elf's gentle hand on his shoulder and Kreacher spoke to him in the kindest voice he had ever used for him, "Why do you hide from Master Regulus, sir?"

Sirius sighed, "It's…complicated, Kreacher. You know, I've always believed that if I hadn't left home, perhaps he would not have died so young and attempting something like he did all alone. He even met me a last time before he took his Mark and tried to get me to leave the country and start a new life away from the War, even if I was opposed to Voldemort. We quarreled and I pulled my wand out in anger. I'd never seen him so shattered in that moment and he left saying that perhaps it had been four years too late for us. Two weeks later, he was dead and there was no body for me to mourn over. We argued till the end and even after all that, all the years I spent in Azkaban, I didn't spare a thought for him in my despair; it was all just Lily and James, not my baby brother, my flesh and blood…" he clenched his fists.

Kreacher gently touched his face and turned it to face him, "Sir, Master Regulus loves you very much. In the Cave, one of the last things he told me was to never tell anyone in the family what had happened, especially you because he was afraid of the retribution the Dark Lord would exact on the family if he found out what happened. Even after all this time, he still misses you so much, it's as if his heart shatters into smaller pieces every time your name comes up. Please sir, it's not too late; tell him you feel the same. Sir, Kreacher has tended to both the young masters since they were infants in his arms" he choked, tears rolling down his cheeks. "Kreacher is old, sir; he remembers when their cries echoed through the house and when he fed them, bathed them, changed their clothes and diapers, cleaned after them and played with them. Kreacher misses how happy the family was, sir; the tragedies that have befallen the House of Black have aged Kreacher more than the passing of the years."

Sirius swallowed, blinking rapidly as he struggled to hold back the rising flood in.

"Kreacher, we are not the children you once helped raise anymore. I sometimes wish it were so again, just so that happiness would return, but for me it would be a blind happiness, an ignorant one" he said as he took in the despair on the elf's face. "I need time, Kreacher. I wanted to be prepared for what I have to say to him and I'm not strong enough to do it yet."

Kreacher sniffed and rubbed his eyes, "I hope that time comes soon, sir; Kreacher's one wish is to see the brothers reconciled before he dies."

Sirius held Kreacher's hands in his own, greatly distressed and moved by this, "Now don't you go talking about dying, you big old bat. Besides, you'll be the longest lived house elf, the rate you're going", he said in a tone between a sob and a laugh. "Kreacher, there's no need to mention the truth of my death to Regulus. He loves you too much and I always want it to be that way, no matter what."

Kreacher threw his arms around him, sobbing into his chest, even as he reeled in shock. He slowly put his arms around the elf and hugged him back softly, holding that heaving old retainer of his family to his chest, savouring the warmth and love that he'd never believed possible for him. He knelt there, locked in embrace for a several moments before gently disengaging.

"You ought to get going now. It'll be dawn soon and if I'm not wrong, they're up and about early."

Kreacher nodded and dabbed his tears with his apron before smiling.

"Thank you, Master Sirius. Kreacher is whole once again and can be a proud servant of the House of Black again."

"Yeah, yeah, get going you, you old bat", Sirius said smiling. "Hey Kreacher, how's Harry been? Since the War ended and apart from the mess of the past few months, I mean?"

"Master Harry has been good, sir" Kreacher answered. "He married the Weasley's daughter and had three children, the eldest named after Master Harry's father and you, sir."

Sirius felt a gush of affection for his godson at this. "I see…I'll ask you more later; now go!"

Kreacher bowed deeply and said, "Good night, Master" before Disapparating.

"Good night, Kreacher", Sirius softly whispered into the nothing before turning to look at the sky, lost in a sea of his emotions.

* * *

 **Well, there you have it; Sirius is a big softie under that devil-may-care attitude he hides under.**

 **I just tried to tell some of it from Kreacher's perspective too; I've always personally felt that he may have regretted causing his Master's death by passing information, seeing as he failed to serve the House of Black and instead doomed it.**

 **Many unspoken things have to be spoken yet before we can progress...**

 **Stay with me; REVIEWS APPRECIATED!**


	5. Chapter 5: Heist in Upper Flagley

**Hello! Yes, I'm very much alive and I'm back for good. Pardon me, dear readers, situations and circumstances outside my control have plagued me for long (although there was a genuine writer's block and some laziness too), but I am not going to keep you waiting any longer.**

 **It's time these two faced the world and off they go…**

* * *

The morning light peeked leaked into the cave through the gap of it's deceptively concealed entrance, gradually brightening the gloom and chasing away the cold night had brought. Not that Regulus was unduly uncomfortable, what with the warm mattress Kreacher had provided and the fact that his new familiar's thick fur snuggled into his side, combined with the rudimentary Atmospheric Charms he had cast before. Still, he woke up to feel a slight chill, as one does when they throw dip into a cool lake on a summer afternoon and at first, his instinct was to strengthen the Charm and go right back to sleep. However, he remembered the events of the previous day flashed across his mind and the gravity of those made him far less sleepy and much more apprehensive.

He weighed his options; he had no money, either Muggle or Wizarding, no shelter apart from the cave, no supplies of any sort save with little food Kreacher had brought (of which most was eaten) and a single mattress. There was no way they could visit the Wizarding world openly, but he simply had to find out what new troubles were afoot and to put a stop to them before a third war broke out. Visiting Gringotts would be out of the question and staying for too long among wizards would be risky, which led him to conclude that most of their time would be spent in camping out in the wilderness and countryside, with occasional forays into magical places. As for monetary issues, the only immediate solution was thievery, he reflected with distaste and amusement in equal measure.

He was snapped out of his reverie as he felt the dog stir beside him, stretching itself out and then shaking itself to rid it's coat of the few dewdrops that had accumulated on it's coat. He smiled and reached out to pet it, only to be flung back as the huge dog leaped at him and proceeded to lick his face off. He managed to extricate himself with some difficulty, pushing off the animal between bouts of laughter and then proceeded to tickle it's belly and paws, causing it to whine and thump it's tail excitedly, tongue lolling out. He then strode over to the sack of food and opened a two tins of sardines, setting one before his new friend and began eating from the other, contemplating all the while where he had to go.

He wasn't going to go to London at first; the safer bet was to appear at a Wizarding village which was decently close to a Muggle settlement and rob members of either communities to have a decent stock of currency from both worlds. He went through the list of potential locations in his head one by one, until he finally narrowed his options down to Upper Flagley and Chipping Sodbury. He went over a plan which he formulated on the spot in his head and worked out the details as he ate, only reviewed them one final time and resolved to implement it just as he finished his meal. He gathered up the tin and tossed it into the sack along with all the other empty tins, including the dog's, which had finished as well, then vanishing it wordlessly. He shrunk the mattress, transfigured it into an especially thick blanket and wrapping it up with magic, he levitated it onto a slab of rock that jutted out from one of the walls about ten feet high. He then walked out followed by the dog and turned to face the cliff face masking the entrance. He used his wand and cast a weak Severing charm on his thumb to draw blood and with it, he drew a single rune onto the rock surface. Once he was done, he pressed his wand to the rune and murmured an incantation which caused it to glow with an intense fiery-golden light which faded slowly after he finished reciting the spell. The slab of rock then moved of it's own accord and seal off the entrance for good, the magic taking effect, even as Regulus healed the cut and _Tergoed_ the blood off. The rune had faded leaving the stone as bare as it had been before.

It was a rudimentary Dark spell, one that was enough for simple concealment and while not unbreakable, it would require a sacrifice of blood to enter and would warn him of the intruder, should someone attempt to make their way in, with the added advantage that he could Apparate inside directly, given that the magic recognized his blood and any who he brought in with him that way would be admitted too. What he didn't expect was the dog's reaction, for it began to growl and the stone with hostility, punctuating it with angry barks. He turned to calm it only for it to back away, growling at him, albeit more softly than before.

He sighed; it was a Dark spell after all and it did incite unease in both Light wizards and animals alike. He took a deep breath and then began to speak softly to the dog, cajoling it to quiet down.

"Hey, it's alright. I meant no harm, you know. It's just a little blood and it keeps bad people away", he crooned. "Come on, now; I'll get you treats if you're good."

It seemed to have some effect on the dog which stopped growling and came over slowly with it's tail between it's legs to offer an unenthusiastic lick, although it allowed itself to be patted. Internally, Regulus sighed, for he knew that he'd be exposing his new familiar to a lot of Dark magic on their journeys and he had to somehow maintain it's trust in him. He fussed over him a bit and then stepped away from the cave altogether, casting a look around. He took in the little valley's natural defenses once more and after ascertaining himself that locating and penetrating in would be difficult at best, he bent down and grabbed the dog by a handful of it's fur.

"Alright, boy, we're about to leave now. Be prepared, though, because this is unpleasant!" he said before they Disapparated.

* * *

An instant later, they materialized in a copse of trees, facing a somewhat quiet street with few pedestrians about and about. They had arrived at the outskirts of the Wizarding quarters of Upper Flagley and with a bit of luck, he'd be leaving with a bag full of gold soon. He observed that they were near the residential side, which was a mere twenty minutes walking distance from the marketplace from what he recalled. He quickly Disillusioned the dog and himself and after instructing his furry companion to be quiet, the man and dog set out quietly, with Regulus having his wand drawn, taking in the details hungrily as they walked, marveling at the changes he saw. It struck him odd that the street lighting was electric rather than the traditional lamplight he remembered, with cars parked on the streets, which left him nonplussed.

 _So wizards have begun to use Muggle transportation now? Weird, is it a fad or just a way to blend in_ , he mused.

Another thing which struck him as odd was the use of some electrical handheld device some pedestrians he encountered were holding, tapping at it's screen, oblivious to the world, while others held it to their ears, conversing with it as if it was a most natural thing to do. Most obviously, whatever it was, it was something Muggle, for it was electric-powered. Making a mental note to look into the ways of modern Muggles more, he strode on, disturbed, failing to notice that the dog too was observing it's surroundings keening and with a bit more understanding.

They arrived quickly enough at the marketplace and stepping into the shadows, Regulus lifted the Disillusionment charms and cast Glamours in their place, making him look far more ordinary with large brown eyes and mousy brown hair, transfiguring his Death Eater robes into ordinary Muggle clothing, something which he saw many of the obviously magical shoppers were clad in. Likewise, he made the dog look smaller and it's fur less thick and glossy, while turning it's disturbing gray eyes inky black. They then stepped out into the marketplace and Regulus cracked a smile, for while the unmistakable touch of modernization was present, the thrum of magic here was strong and moreover, it still looked much like it did when he'd visited it in his boyhood when the Black family had attended a social call at the house of one Ulysses Gamp, a then sitting Warlock of the Wizengamot. It was reminiscent of Diagon Alley, although it was much smaller and rustic in a way, with a small apothecary, a Magical clinic, various magical supplies shops and eateries and most importantly, a small banking outlet operating under the authority of Gringotts, although far less grand. In truth, this was more of a glorified storage more than anything else as it had no authority to conduct transactions or deposit anything other than currency and that too within a certain limit, but this was exactly where they needed to be and Regulus backed up into a side alley and waited.

He didn't have to tarry long for soon enough, a portly man with a pointed hat bustled out in a hurry and began striding down the street. Regulus immediately cast a _Legilimens_ at him from the shadows and began to follow, with the dog hot on the trail as well. The man's mind was defenseless (it was obvious that he was no Occlumens) and Regulus managed to glean that his name was Oliver Finkley, that he was the owner of a pet shop owner operating out of Diagon Alley, that he had in his possession a hundred and fifty Galleons which he had just withdrawn and was on his way to a Muggle contraption called a teller on the other side of town from which he would withdraw Muggle cash (interested as that seemed, he didn't bother plumbing into the reasons behind it). Wasting no time, he cast a _Confundo_ from within the folds of his robe and ran up to the man to greet him just as the spell hit him.

"Oliver! Where are you going this fine morning?" he greeted him, falling into step beside him.

The man blurted out in confusion, "Why, I just made a withdrawal and need to withdraw some Muggle money before I head to Diagon Alley. Pardon me, but who may you be?" the man asked, actually coming to a halt.

Regulus laughed, "Oh, come now Oliver, you mustn't be that way! Remember, it was me who placed that order for that cluster of poison arrow eggs last month. I'm the Mediwizard, Alphonse Lampard" he spouted merrily, even as he poured more magic into the spell. The other man accepted his word, although was still puzzled about the proceedings. Regulus kept on talking however, claiming that he too wished to withdraw Muggle cash and the three headed off towards the Muggle sector.

Soon enough, they arrived at the teller which was situated in a small enclosed room set beside a clothing store. He hung back and let the man make his withdrawal, which he observed through the glass front was through a strip of some flexible material and that the man was typing something set on a board with an electric screen. In a couple of minutes, he was out and came to bid adieu when Regulus hit him with a Sleeping Spell, just reaching out to catch him before he fell to the ground and dragging him into a darkened corner. Luckily, it was still quite early and perhaps a weekend, for not many seemed to be up and about and the only pedestrians he saw was a man jogging away into the distance and a short-sighted old woman plodding away quietly, unaware of what happened.

He quickly relieved his unfortunate victim of his money, pocketing the bag of Galleons first and then going through his wallets to empty them of the strips of paper the muggles used as currency, stuffing them into the pocket of his robes. Feeling quite guilty, he revived the man only to cast a Memory charm on him, erasing the events of the entire morning from his mind, then _Confounding_ him before getting away from him quickly enough. He pretended to examine the window display of a nearby shop while watching out of the corner of his eye as the man got up, cast about him and after a few minutes, Disapparated.

He sighed with relief as the tension seemed to lift off his shoulders, although he felt as pang of guilt for his thievery nonetheless. The dog seemed amused, however, for it panted with it's tongue hanging out and eyes sparkling with mischief, tag wagging madly. He let out a small laugh; he couldn't deny the thrill of it, as disturbing as it was and what's more, he was quite a bit richer. He looked about and saw the shops beginning to finally open and decided that before going to Diagon Alley to inspect official records, perhaps a little bit of time shopping in the Muggle world would be worth spending, as long as he could inspect it a bit more closely. That and get something to eat, he thought, even as his stomach led out a loud growl (the sardines could only take him that far) and his canine companion let out a soft whine, staring at him mournfully.

"Breakfast first, then" he sighed, defeated.

* * *

 **Well, so far so good, Regulus. But did you even register that you haven't thought of a name for your new friend yet?!**

 **Seriously, though; he will be named by Regulus in the very next chapter, I promise. The next chapter shall definitely have more of Dark Magic as Regulus begins investigating what has been happening since Voldemort's second downfall and his wanderings lead him to a familiar but no less creepy haunt from the old days.**

 **The shadow falls once more and it threatens to consume all…**


	6. Chapter 6: Serpents in the Shadows

**Chapter VI: The Serpents in the Shadows**

 _" **The Dark Arts . . . are many, varied, ever-changing, and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible."**_

 _ **Something no amount of Wizarding War and Albus Dumbeldores can ever change…**_

 _ **I present to you the sixth chapter, The Serpents in the Shadows…**_

* * *

Regulus was threading his way through the dark narrow alleys of Knockturn Alley, his wand hand close to the holster and a small trunk full of his recent purchases in the other hand. He was in a new disguise with shoulder-length chestnut-coloured hair and a neatly trimmed beard and had even taken care to garb himself in a new set of ink blue robes. His familiar mirrored his alert stance, trotting along behind him with his ears pricked up. Some things never change, he mused as a hooded wizard sneered at him from a corner. Absolutely nothing seemed to have changed over the decades as he walked through the shadows, sometimes through completely deserted by-lanes and at other times weaving his way through throngs of dark cloaked wizards and witches, some of whom seem to be part-goblins or hags, with many a few throwing a hostile glare in the direction of the newcomer in their midst. He hurried on deeper into the heart of this dark underbelly of Wizarding London, for his destination happened to be a lodging house of somewhat tolerable standards and modest expense to lie low for a while as he set about learning whatever he could about the situation at hand and more about what had woken him from the dead.

"The Quartered Troll" stood in one of the many dingy by-lanes that characterized Knockturn Alley, with a hideous decapitated troll head mounted above the door with a signboard below. No sooner than he had stepped in through the door than his nostrils were assailed by the sickly-sweet smell of alcohol, an assortment of potions (most likely poorly brewed contraband) and doxy droppings and a musty odour belying the dampness that seemed to have set into the walls. One look at the ceiling made it evident that there was a doxy infestation which the proprietor had attempted to fight against and lost. In the alcoves rested assortments of achlorophyllous plants and enchanted totems. Being midday, there were only a few patrons in the pub, most of who either sat alone at the bar with some a group of three hunchbacks huddled in a corner around the table.

The barman stood behind the counter, polishing glasses with a surly look on his face. With a shock, Regulus registered that it was the same wizard who'd been running the establishment all those years ago when he'd walked in through the doors for the first time. Despite the obvious signs of age, the man was quite the same as he'd been; tall and broad-shouldered with a scowl permanently etched into his face as he stared at the new arrivals.

Regulus strode up to the counter, deftly avoiding the doxy filth on the floor and seeing no recognition on the barman's face, he took heart and spoke, "Room for one for a week".

The old man eyed him with a calculated wariness and then ground out, "No rooms available except on the first floor facing the back alley. There's some trouble with the Atmospheric Charms in them so you may have occasional snowfalls or rain inside.

Smothering a smile, Regulus waved his hand and set the trunk down. "Fine by me, I can handle that just fine. What times are meals served?"

"Breakfast is 6 to 8 in the morning, dinner from 1 to 3 afternoons and supper is served from 7 to 9 at night. It'll cost you extra, though. Room for a week is 15 Galleons and meals will cost 7 more", the barman said.

"Done", said Regulus, reaching into his pockets. He fished out a handful of gold coins and deposited them on the counter. "That's 10 Galleons in advance, you'll get the rest when we leave. Have our stuff sent up", he indicated towards the tunk, "we'll have something to eat before we go up."

The barman nodded and called for a chambermaid who was instructed to take their luggage up to Room Number 6. "Like I said, first floor, third door on the right. Here's the key; lose it and it's another 5 Galleons. Now what do you want for your meal?"

Regulus ordered a plate of cold roast beef with mashed potatoes and Butterbeer for himself and a big juicy bone for the dog. They waited as the barman went back through a side door behind the counter into the kitchen, Regulus drumming his wand against the counter. His mind went back to the 1978 when he was eighteen and had first stepped through the doors of the inn. It was to complete the preliminary screening task for his induction in the Dark Lord's ranks that he'd visited it, having been charged with recruiting a Romanian hit-wizard on the run who had temporarily been lodging in the Quartered Troll. It hadn't taken much effort; once he revealed he was a Black, the fugitive wizard had pretty much thrown himself at his feet and lost no time in following Regulus to the Dark Lord's hideout. That was what had earned Regulus the Dark Mark, something which he'd been so proud of then.

He was roused from his musing when three plates full of food magically appeared before him. With a twinge of nostalgia for his Hogwarts days, he smiled and set down the plate bearing a huge, meaty bone on the floor for his familiar and dug in himself. Not too bad, he reflected as he ate. On the floor, the hungry dog was polishing off the meat from the bone at record pace. Regulus once more found himself thinking about the strangeness of it all; just how did there happen to be a strange dog with Kreacher in a cave enchanted with Dark Magic at the very time he came back from the dead? As far as he could tell, he wasn't in the company of a magical creature, just a very intelligent and friendly but otherwise quite ordinary animal. He pondered this in silence as he ate, occasionally casting a look about. All was quiet and as the minutes passed by, some of the patrons headed up the stairs to their rooms. Nobody cast him so much as a glance and he finished both his meal and Butterbeer in peace. When he was done, the dog was still gnawing on the end of the bone.

"Aren't done yet, you greedy little tyke?" he quipped.

The dog dropped the bone and looked up with solemn eyes. Regulus laughed, "Well, you can finish that in the room. Come on now, boy!"

Tail wagging like a metronome, the dog picked up the bone and set off at a trot for the stairs, Regulus following just behind. He nodded at the barman before they both began to ascend the stairs.

The barman waited until he heard their footsteps on the landing and the sound of a door being open and shut before he stealthily opened a cabinet beneath the counter. Inside was a heavy duty radio transmitter that crackled to life once he waved his wand at it. Casting a look about the bar, he swished his wand again and began to send out a coded message…

* * *

Regulus's worst suspicions turned out to be unfounded; there were no weather anomalies whatsoever and the view suited him just fine as it looked over a deserted alley with an old, uninhabited building across from it. Indeed, the room looked perfectly ordinary and even cozy with a small fireplace and his luggage set at the foot of the bed by the wall. There was a small desk and chair provided for use and a tattered old rug was placed by the fire. All in all, it was secluded and comfortable (provided the Atmospheric Charms worked properly) and that was what he needed. Still, he warded his belongings with the Impervious Charm as well as the mattress and rug and threw himself on the bed, tired. The dog too flopped onto the rug and continued it's meal happily, crunching the bone with strong teeth.

Regulus watched as it devoured the bone and when the last fragments disappeared into it's mouth, he magicked away the mess that was left and whistled. Immediately, the dog trotted up to him and leaping onto the bed, it began to nuzzle him.

"It just won't do for you to go without a name, boy" he said, stroking the silky fur. "But what do we call you, hm?" he trailed off, going through a list of names in his head. "Blitzer, Paws, Sooty…what about Snuggles?"

The dog's ears went flat and it whined. "Hm, no good it seems. Anubis, Argos, Cabal…no, no, way too grand and formal. How'd you like being called Grim? You look awfully like one, no offense" he grinned.

This time, he actually earned a soft growl of annoyance and the dog began to back away from him. "OK, OK, fine!" laughed Regulus. "I was just pulling your leg…or your tail" he giggled. He looked into the dog's shockingly grey pools of eyes and sobered. Then a thought struck him and pulling the dog close, he spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, "You know, I think I have the just name for you. Someone I used to know long ago had it and it fits you too. You are Sirius", he said, voice wobbling dangerously.

The warm reaction he received completely caught him off guard. The dog flung itself on him and began to lick his face, delighted beyond reason. Half-smothered, he began to laugh, "Alright, alright! I'm glad you like it, really. Do get off, though- HAHAHA!" he guffawed as the licks became more ticklish. With some difficulty, he managed to extricate himself and placing Sirius's head on his lap, he began to pet him.

"You know, four decades is a long time, even if you spent it dead. Four decades and I still can't forget…all those years at home and then when he left for the first time. He was all I could have ever asked for back then. I looked up to him, respected him; damn it – I _**loved**_ him! Then why did he turn his back on me? Why did he go wrong? What changed in one term at Hogwarts? Why…just _**why**_ _?"_

 _T_ he tears that began to flow caught him by surprise. Embarrassed, he tried to reign himself in but the flood wouldn't stop. So he wept in silence, stroking his familiar as it licked away at his fingers in an attempt to comfort him. Gradually, the tears subsided and with a few deep breaths, he managed to calm himself down.

"Well, I guess that was how it was meant to be" he sniffled. "After all, he was a Gryffindor and people change. Maybe blood isn't always thicker than water. So much for brothers forever…" He missed the almost inaudible and pained whine that remark elicited and spoke, "Well, it's your name now and I'm glad you like it. And I'm glad to have _**you**_ , Sirius" he finished and pulled the dog into a hug, sinking and running his fingers deep into the inky coat. All was silent and for a moment, he felt at peace, secure and safe in this little inn in the heart of Diagon Alley, content to have a Sirius in his life again.

The tender moment came to an abrupt end soon though, for Sirius suddenly leaped off the bed with an angry bark and began to growl at something on the floor. Regulus jumped and drew out his wand, only to stop short when he saw that the object of Sirius's ire was an envelope addressed to "Room No. 6". His pulse racing, he pulled the door open and looked out frantically. The corridor was completely deserted except for doxies which fluttered about overhead merrily. Downstairs, all was as peaceful as it had been and he could hear the clink of glasses as the barman polished them.

He shut the door and picked up the envelope, glancing it over on both sides. Finding no other address on it, he sat down at the desk and opened it. He was surprised to find that it enclosed not parchment, but paper. Curious, he opened the letter and observing it seemed to have been typed, he began to read:

 _"Brother wizard,_

 _Greetings!_

 _It is a happy occasion for us to find a wizard of tastes such as yourself. The Dark Arts are a blessing and the rightful heritage of the Wizarding World, empowering sorcerers to perform magic more powerful than any other. They not only grace us with powers we couldn't otherwise hope to possess but also advance our understanding of magic itself._

 _However, this very branch of magic which has become our way of life is under threat from the very body that ought to protect and uphold it. The Ministry of Magic has persecuted us for years for use of Dark Magic, imposing draconian laws to prevent it's use and to persecute the casters. But as of next month, there will be a motion in the Wizengamot to impose a statue enabling the Ministry to imprison suspected Dark wizards without trial and seize their properties without warrants._

 _It is time we fought back and to this end, we seek capable wizards to uphold our cause and fight for it. We believe that you are one such wizard and one of our observers posted near you has verified as much. There is no cause for alarm whatsoever; we have members skilled at understanding the nature of magical signatures and yours sings of a lifetime of use of Dark Magic. We urge you to seek us out and attend our upcoming gathering; our coven will be glad to be introduced to you in person._

 _The address will be provided to you at the end of this message. May Morgana guide you on your journey._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _The Coven of Basilia"_

As he finished reading, the letters faded away to be replaced by new ones forming two lines in the middle of the sheet. They read:

 _"The Crypts, Brookwood Cemetery, Surrey._

 _Password: See the line above_ "

Immediately as he finished reading, the letter burst into an unearthly flame and Sirius barked madly. Instinctively, Regulus fired a countercurse at it. It was just as well as he did for he realized that it had been charmed to burst into Fiendfyre. Whoever had sent it had clearly not been playing any games, what with a cryptic password and the cursed message. Shaken, he pointed his wand at the ashes and Vanished them, turning around to Sirius who had burst into a fusillade of barks, uncharacteristically agitated. Bending down, he set about calming the enraged and frightened dog even as he mulled over the shocking turn of events. He cast a wandless _Muffliato_ and began to shush the big dog, caressing him and crooning soft words of comfort, even as he fought to keep his own panic at bay.

The peace and quiet he sought had gone out the window the moment that message arrived. How the sender found him and how they delivered that letter, he could only guess. One thing was for sure, though; he was going to answer the summons and meet with the Coven of Basilia, he decided grimly as he soothed Sirius.

* * *

 **At long last, we have another chapter and the fault for the delay lies solely with me. I am indeed quite slow to update, although this time, I did have quite a lot of hurdles in my private life to deal with and in fact, I still am going through them.**

 **The story has taken a turn from this point onwards and as it progresses, it will get far darker. I hope you liked the little Sirius and Regulus moment here; I'd been planning to include it all this while and finally got an opportunity.**

 **Until I update again, I urge you to find the password in that little message for fun (it's pretty simple, honestly). Funny thing is, it was only after I typed the address out that I realized it had a word in it which would make for an excellent password. I'll give you a clue; that word has something to do with the HPverse.**

 **Anyway, so long people and oh, recommendation to all my readers; please read the Berserk manga series by Kentaro Miura.**

 **Ciao!**


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